


Things You Thought You Knew

by Sipping_Stars



Category: The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Gen, Mention of solangelo, No actual solangelo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-26
Updated: 2015-01-26
Packaged: 2018-03-09 04:22:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3236072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sipping_Stars/pseuds/Sipping_Stars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Apollo and Hades have a long needed chat about their sons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Things You Thought You Knew

**Author's Note:**

> I personally call it 'Apollo is shallow and Hades is secretly a good father.'

Things You Thought You Knew  
Dedicated to my amazing proofreader: Katherine Irwin  
And my inspirational friend: Megan

"Ain't my boy so great, Uncle Hades?" Apollo chided as he entered Hades Palace. It was dark and dreary, as usual. The sun god pulled up a chair and sat.  
"I always knew Will would amount to something. You know, he wasn't that great to begin with but since the war and your son..." Apollo waggled his eyebrows and laughed.  
"Yep," he said relaxing into his chair. "He's my favorite kid."  
Hades stilled. He has meant to ignore his obnoxious nephew but he couldn't help but listen. He turned away from Phersphone's flowers which he was watering. "Are you saying this because he's famous now?" he replied. He gently put down the watering pot and sat next to Apollo. "Or is it because he's trying to be better 'friends' with my son?" Apollo merely shrugged  
"it's not like that Uncle Ha-"  
"It's not?" Hades interrupted.  
Apollo looked at his Uncle, who's obsidian eyes were boring holes into his.  
"Then tell me, Apollo," Hades said leaning back. "What is it?"  
"He's always been my favorite, Uncle." Apollo answered.  
Hades nodded in understanding "So that's why you left him with his sickly mother as you traveled around the world seeking other women?"  
Apollo stood up, "It's not my fault she was delusional!"  
"Oh, I know, I know it's not your fault." Hades stated gently. "But...was it Will's?"  
"What are you implying, Uncs?"  
Hades glared at his stupid nephew. "I'm implying that even if 'that woman' was delusional, it wasn't right as a father to keep your son with her!"  
"You're saying that as if your the Father of The Year!" he roared. "Tell me, Hades! How many of your kids died? At least, my kids didn't die!"  
"But how many did? In the wars you refused to help in?" Hades's eyes glowed with a ferocity deeper than mortal understanding.  
Apollo sat back down.  
"You wanna know what I've been doing? I've been calling the Fates! Asking them about my son, because unlike you, Apollo, I want what's best for him, not because he's famous but because--" the god stopped short. Why? Is it pity? you pity him, a child of yours born with natural prejudice, linked with death.  
Apollo grinned "because you failed? Because you had no power with your kids? And they died?" Apollo laughed. "Because you failed to keep them alive?" Apollo stood up. "At least I visit my kids! It's not like you were ever there for Nico! Or Bianca! What about Haz--"  
"I love Nico, okay?" Hades continued, as if he never stopped talking. "But, I love Will too." Apollo stopped, his grin frozen on his face. Hades continued "I've been checking the fates...checking on my son and his to-be soulmate. But, instead of getting to know (and evaluate him for my son) Will, I just got to understand how shallow you are. He suffered, Apollo. Not only him too! All of them. In my book he's great, but not for the reasons you think for him in.  
In fact, they were all great, Haley, Thomas, Julian, Brandon. Will was no exception." Apollo's grin faded to an awkward smile. Hades sighed "but you can't change anything now, nephew, they grow too fast." the death god stood once again and returned to watering his wife's flowers.  
Apollo stood still, his grin gone. He began to try to reach for his seat, but found it nowhere near him.  
In emotional overload he recited wit  
"Farewell, thou child of my right hand, and joy;  
My sin was too much hope for thee, lov'd boy  
Seven years tho' wert lent to me, and thee I pay,  
Exacted by thy fate, on the just day.  
O, could I lose all father now! For why  
Will man lament the state he should envy?  
To have so soon 'scap'd world's and flesh's rage,  
And if no other misery, yet age?  
Rest in soft peace, and, ask'd, say,  
"For whose sake henceforth all his vows be such,  
As what he loves may never like too much."  
When he finished, the sun god could feel the tears sliding down his face. Immortality doesn't mean I can't feel why didn't I know that sooner. He knew it all too well. Dying, that is. Generations atop generations....eras over era, dying as mortals do. All his children will die, and new ones will rise. Every single one, he held their hand during their last minutes. He told them how brave they are.  
Every single one had hate and resentment in their fading eyes. More tears spilled. How did I not notice? Why did my uncle, practically a grim reaper, tell me how to care for my kids?  
"Wow, I wonder how bad of a father I was if a death god was better than me!" He laughed slightly, but that too died.  
\--------  
He felt something cold and wet hit his head.  
That freaking watering pot.  
"Well don't just stand their and weep, go see the poor kid." Hades huffed.  
"What?" Apollo said, his eyes blurred from tears. (Not that he would admit that) "I'm sure they don't want to see me anyway."  
"I'm sure our sons would love one of their fathers bursting in on 'em right...about..." Hades stopped and counted for a few seconds.  
"Now."  
Apollo smiled "you're evil, Uncle!"  
"They need to know how much we love them." Hades laughed.


End file.
